Nursing Career

This program prepares students for practice as entry-level staff nurses in a variety of healthcare settings. Students learn to apply the nursing process to assist patients in maintaining or regaining homeostasis when threatened with common health problems. Graduates take the National Council Licensure Examination for licensing as a Registered Nurse.

Applicants with completed applications meeting minimum criteria by January 5 will be given priority consideration for admission.

Program Information

One program with 2 curriculum delivery options:

Day - the traditional experience with face to face classroom learning.

EHealth - a hybrid model with online classroom learning.

Both options include clinical assignments at a variety of healthcare settings in Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Clinical hours may include day, evenings or weekends.

Computer technology is integrated into Nursing courses. Computer access is required and available at both campuses.

Students must achieve a minimum “C” (74) in all nursing courses in order to remain in the program and graduate. This is under review and subject to change. Students must pass all co-requisites and electives to remain in the program and graduate.

After BCC

Graduates take the National Council Licensure Examination for Licensing as a Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).

Graduates have secured a variety of positions in healthcare settings.

BCC participates in the statewide MassTransfer program and has developed many program-to-program transfer articulation agreements which guarantee admission and credit transfer to the College. Many graduates transfer to complete the baccalaureate degree. Graduates have transferred to UMass Dartmouth, Fitchburg State, UMass Boston, Framingham State, and Laboure College.

For a complete listing of eligible MassTransfer programs and current BCC articulation agreements, visit the Transfer Affairs website at www.BristolCC.edu/transfer

Recommended Course Sequence - Fall Semester 3

Recommended Course Sequence - Spring Semester 4

The Nursing Program is a competitive program with selective admission requirements. A limited number of students are admitted to the Nursing program. The college catalog describes the minimum requirements for admission to the program, as follows.

Applicants must have completed the following criteria (all coursework with a grade of B- or greater) to be considered for admission to the Nursing program:

High school diploma or a state-approved high school equivalency credential

Students applying to BCC with a state approved high school equivalency credential rather than with a high school diploma will need to take the required courses (listed above) at BCC.

Meeting these minimum criteria places the applicant in the selection pool but does not guarantee admission to the Nursing program. Qualified applicants are rank ordered based upon GPA and course grades.

Completed applications received by January 5 will be considered in the initial admissions review. Applications received after this date will be considered if spaces have not been filled.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PROGRAM

Requirements Upon Admission

As a prerequisite for a clinical placement in the Nursing program, all students must undergo a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check and a Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) check. These checks are required due to potential unsupervised contact with children, the disabled, or the elderly during a clinical experience. Students found to have certain criminal convictions or pending criminal actions will be presumed ineligible for clinical placement. The College is authorized by the Commonwealth's Department of Criminal Justice to access CORI records. Sex Offender checks shall be performed pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 6, Sections 178C-178P.

All students must be Basic Life Support (BLS) certified by the American Heart Association (Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers). All students upon entry to the program must show evidence of CPR certification which is valid through the completion of the program.

Additional Costs

Students are responsible for the cost of uniforms, professional liability insurance, standardized achievement testing, their graduate nursing pin, and the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. Students must carry health insurance throughout their enrollment in the program.

Licensing Information

To be eligible for licensure in Massachusetts, graduates must complete all program requirements for graduation, present satisfactory evidence of “good moral character” as defined by the Board of Registration in Nursing, and pay the required licensure fees. Eligibility for licensure is decided by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/hcq/dhpl/nursing/education/faculty-resources/

Functional Abilities Essential for Nursing Practice

Students enrolled in the nursing program should be prepared to meet the standards established by the following physical and mental criteria.

Functional Abilities

Nursing is a practice discipline, with cognitive, sensory, affective, and psychomotor performance requirements. The functional eligibility requirements for participation in the nursing program are essential for the delivery of optimal and safe patient care and are consistent with the Massachusetts 244 CMR 3.02 Nurse Practice Act found at http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/regs/244cmr003.pdf

Have the ability to physically lift and pull in order to assist in moving or transferring a patient from one surface to another.

Have the ability to physically provide patient care in a standing position approximately 90% of the time.

PSY 252 (Child Development) or equivalent or child development course from the LPN schools listed above

Part II:

If admitted and after successful completion of the LPN-to-RN Bridge Program (approximately 3 weeks), the applicant will be awarded 16 credits for NUR 101 and NUR 102 and is eligible for entrance into the third semester of the nursing program, and the nursing course: Nursing Care of the Adult I (NUR 201) and NUR 100 on a space available basis.

For Nursing Transfer Credit send a syllabus and catalog for each course to be evaluated to the Nursing department.

LPN Challenge of Fundamentals of Nursing

For Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs):

Who have graduated more than 3 years ago from one of the 5 LPN schools who have articulation agreements with the BCC nursing program: Diman Regional, Bristol-Plymouth, Upper Cape Cod Regional, Southeastern Regional Practical Nursing Program or Tri-County RVTHS

Who have graduated from other LPN schools not listed above (see #1)

Meet the LPN-to-RN Bridge Program requirements described above.

Prospective students are eligible to apply after completing all criteria in Part I and II. Apply by April 1st.

Part I: Complete all pre-admission and pre and co-requisite courses to be eligible. See courses below.

Part II: The applicants under the LPN Challenge of Fundamentals of Nursing who meet #1 and #2 requirements must take the Excelsior “Fundamentals of Nursing” challenge exam and pass with a score of “C” or better. For more information: http://www.excelsior.edu/ecapps/exams/examDetail.jsf

Part III: Perform and pass a lab demonstration to determine skill competency (approximately 2 days). Once a passing score is attained (Part III), the applicant will be awarded 8 credits for NUR 101 and is eligible for entrance into the second semester of the nursing program, and the nursing course: Parent and Child Health (NUR 102) and NUR 100 on a space available basis.

Applicants who meet the LPN Bridge Program criteria may be considered for the LPN Challenge of Fundamentals program if there are no seats available in the Bridge Program. These students do not need to take the excelsior exam.

Applying for Readmission

Only one readmission is allowed to the Nursing program within 3 years of withdrawing, failing or not completing nursing courses or required co-requisites.

Students who fail, withdraw or do not complete NUR 100 or NUR 101, may reapply to the program through the general admission process by January 5th, and are considered based upon nursing admission criteria and on a space-available basis.

Students who fail, withdraw or do not complete NUR 102, NUR 201, NUR 202 or NUR 203 or co-requisite courses may be readmitted to the Nursing program on a space-available basis. Applicants seeking readmission should apply through the Admissions office by April 1 of the semester prior to desired admission.

Transfer Information

Opportunities are available for those applicants with previous nursing credits who meet established criteria. Students are responsible for special testing fees and pre- and co-requisite courses.